For the first time, the government provided a catch-all benefits system which hypothecated a proportion of tax revenue thence to be paid against sickness, elderliness and unemployment to name but three key entitlements. They had beaten the Conservatives by a clear 8% however in 51 they only had a 0.8% lead on the votes, as to why they didn't win after getting more votes one has to examine the first past the post system. That was three million less than the number of summonses, warrants and benefit deduction orders issued for poll tax non-payment. threat of Russia (Start Their time in opposition led to the rebuilding and remodelling their policies to allign with post-war consensus (mixed economy, welfare state etc). Divisions over appeasement, foreign policy and rearmament deeply weakened Labour. How this translates to an election is that only the votes for the winning candidate in each constituency are counted towards seats in parliament. Why Was There a Consensus British Prime Ministers 1951-1964 'Oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them'. Certainly a major factor in the 1951 election was the redrawing of constituency boundaries, which dwarfs in significance the factors which should have mattered indeed electoral systems were crucial to both elections. Yet to limit the debate to these factors neglects the . Thus, it may have In the summer of 1950, the Korean War broke out. The election result was a disaster for Labour. accepting the ideas of NHS and that After gaining such a large majority in 1945, most Labour politicians felt relatively assured that they had at least 10 years in office secured. Food subsidies were sustained in order to negate inflation in living costs; levels of progressive taxation were preserved; regional development was the favoured way to control mass unemployment in the areas of urban industrial decline; nationalisation was seen as the solution in reviving core industries such as mining, which had been faltering in private hands. Having been given such a considerable mandate to rebuild the country in 1945, the Attlee post-war government lost popular support considerably over the next six years. Although it was hoped that Daltons resignation might offset some of the decline in public confidence in Labours economic policy, the government were never again endorsed by mass popularity as in the previous two years. Although progress was initially slow on this front, one million houses were eventually built and the housing problem was eased for a while. Less than half the price of our monthly plan. Homefront experiences had also caused a rise in support for Labour: evacuees educated many people to the realities of poverty in Britain's cities and the Blitz brought people together in communal bomb shelters and broke down social barriers. Please read our, {"ad_unit_id":"App_Resource_Sidebar_Upper","resource":{"id":2798048,"author_id":348222,"title":"Why did Labour lose the 1951 election? Mr Churchill's Declaration of Policy to the Electorate. Labour argued that they had earned their independence by fighting in WW2, and that it was not economically viable to sustain them. This split was a key moment in the demise of Attlees government. Labour - 295 seats, Conservatives - 321 seats, Liberals - 6 seats In 1951 the Liberals put up 109 candidates, in 1945 they had put up 475. It had several effects, all of which were harmful in both the long and short term. administration (up to assortment of industries', Following clause IV keeping the NHS, Attractive party to businessmen This is especially so when one considers the crises they faced in that year, making the 1945 blue-skies, New Jerusalem thinking incredibly difficult to sustain. There are several causes which can be established, first by looking at the events of the Attlee years and then isolating those points at which factors were working toward the party's defeat.The 1945-1946 period of Labour government sought to address some key difficulties facing the nation following World War II. The first-past-the-post system emphasised each election's result. favoured To the most left-wing Labour MPs and enthusiasts, this was a betrayal of socialist solidarity; on the other hand, to many more involved with the party this represented subservience to US demands. and were in decline - government supporting was really in their early On a high turnout Labour's tally of votes had actually increased in absolute terms (to 13.9 million, compared to 13.2 million in the 1950 cent) than the Conservatives, though the Conservatives came out ahead in seats, After researching the topic thoroughly, I Would argue the main reason Labour lost in 51 was . Activision's Spycraft: The Great Game is the product of a very specific era of computer gaming, when "multimedia" and "interactive movies" were among the buzzwords of the zeitgeist. 1950 Surplus 297 million fell to Although it did help to achieve this end, Churchills party was able to lament publicly the humiliation the government had brought upon the British currency, and at the same time place blame on the government for the continuing food scarcities and long queues. How about receiving a customized one? disadvantaged by 1st Past post Under the head "Peace", the Labour manifesto said: "The Tory (Conservative) still thinks in terms of Victorian imperialism and colonial exploitation. social reform and nationalisation. The Labour party had suffered after 10 years in government, and their MPs had begun falling ill, some even dying. million if some charged could be made on e Bevanites and the Gaitsgillites. Then, in the summer of 1947, problems arose with the US war loan to be paid to the British government, in the form of the convertibility clause. 1951 Give an example of a prominent cabinet minister that Labour had lost by 1951 due to old age Ernest Bevin Which party looked fresh and orchestrated in 1951, had fresh MPs, and ran an efficient campaign? Finally, splits over the Korean War both over the political justifications for British deployment, and over the cuts in public spending domestically brought about splits in the party which made it poorly placed to fight the 1951 election. however not the 6 The Conservative Party made some political headway by attacking the governments credentials with regard to the 1948 devaluation of the pound, which was designed to bring about the much needed rise in exports. Gaitskell adopted a similarly pragmatic approach to Britains budgetary problems and kept typically socialist long-term economic planning to a minimum. In the 1950 election, the Liberals put up 475 candidates and secured 2.6 million votes (9.1% of the entire vote). Atlee used this as an opportunity to emphasise that although Churchill was a great wartime leader he was not such a good domestic politician. Before the war, Labour were all too often seen as inexperienced and even unpatriotic due to their left wing ideologies. This split caused to distinct groups to form within Labour; the Bevanites and the Gaitsgillites. Buter was key to this; promising that the Conservatives would not reverse the reforms introduced by Labour. The Conservative Party made some political headway by attacking the governments credentials with regard to the 1948 devaluation of the pound, which was designed to bring about the much needed rise in exports. For me, the Attlee government(s) of 1945 - 51, achieved a huge amount, much of which we can still see and experience today, and which we sh. The 'Falklands factor' could not be clearer from opinion polls. For the first time, the government provided a catch-all benefits system which hypothecated a proportion of tax revenue thence to be paid against sickness, elderliness and unemployment to name but three key entitlements. By continuing well assume youre on board with our, Why did Labour lose the 1951 General Election, Let us write you a custom essay sample on, By clicking "SEND" below, you agree to our, Conflict management definitions and views. Indeed, Robert Pearce claims it seems very unlikely indeed that the campaign was crucial, Paul Addison, however, argues that the campaign was important because . Gaitskell had imposed upon the health service prescription charges for glasses and false teeth, which to Bevan and other NHS idealists represented the betrayal of NHS founding principals. What seems stingingly ironic is that in 1951 the Labour party actually received the largest percentage of the vote than any other party had in Britain's history and still lost the election. The first-past-the-post system ensures that the elected government has a workable majority. the Tories as 'lower than vermin' alienated The party's manifesto was named. Politicians are often rejected by voters because they have failed in office. The war had undoubtedly played a major role in the elections, being seen as a people's war it broke down social boundaries and caused a shift to the left. Although interesting they had little to do with shifting the electorate's opinions, indeed in 1945 both parties' campaigns were largely improvised. In 1945 the Conservatives had suffered from being divided and disorganised, while Labour had been strong and united. You need to log in to complete this action! There are three main sub-categories for this answer; the Conservatives strengths, Labours weaknesses/ limitations, and uncontrollable factors. Indeed, Robert Pearce claims it seems very unlikely indeed that the campaign was crucial. I feel as though Ive spent days aimlessly searching the internet for a clear answer to this question. um is there something wrong in these notes? Assess the Validity of This View. Then, as the Cripps years failed to bring an end to food scarcities and food queues, Labours perceived impact upon the national way of life was minimal to voters in the most crucial swinging constituencies. Attlee's downfall: why did Labour lose the 1951 General Election? Labour had made so many promises before the 1945 election that peoples hopes were set too high, many felt that Labour failed to deliver. However Pearce concludes that. Hardly surprisingly. This aim was ill-fated and in the eyes of many economists , obviously exceeded the country's economic capacity, . Labours answer focused on working class interests. Divisions over appeasement, foreign policy and rearmament deeply weakened Labour. Following the 1966 General Election, the Labour Party's Home Policy Committee observed that the party had, "for the first time, obtained a majority of the female vote" and remarked, "it would be very satisfactory if we could retain it." Named Let Us Face the Future, it emphasised that Labour were the only party that could be trusted to deliver a strong Britain and Beveridge's plans. This large Parliamentary shift, in the face of an unremarkable swing in the popular vote, can be attributed partly to Labours loss of the middle class vote. Post author: Post published: June 8, 2022; Post category: new construction duplex for sale florida; Post comments: . 1 He belonged to the first intake of students at the Ecole polytechnique in 1794 and went on to become an iron engineer. Nevertheless, the war was clearly more important in raising Atlee's reputation among Britons because Attlee was effectively completely in charge of the homefront for the duration of the war. leadership remembered in a Conservative (48.0%) By 1951, there were already heavy pressures on health spending. billion he had hoped for, Repayable at Why didn't Labour win the election 1948 Representation of the People Act What was the name of the 1948 law which changed constituency boundaries Liberal Party What party saw their vote fall from 2.6 million to 730,556 Sets with similar terms POLS 315 Exam 3 67 terms Leiigit_Kae American Gov Unit 4 Exam 91 terms Alexis_Martyn45 In 1951 Labour attained 48.8% of the vote, and the Conservatives only got 48% of the vote. The Bevanites, being more left-wing, wanted to focus Britains resources on further nationalisation of industry. The 1946 National Insurance Act was also a key domestic reform of the Attlee government. Furthermore, an apparently humiliating trade policy including subservience to US demands was particularly discrediting in the eyes of post-colonialists who identified this as betrayal rather than pragmatism. The Conservatives voted against the creation of a centralised health service in 1946, preferring rather the idea of state provision of healthcare administered at local level. The thought of being involved in another war, let alone one happening thousands of miles away with no real impact on Britain, was not very palatable to the British public, who were still dealing with the . To the most left-wing Labour MPs and enthusiasts, this was a betrayal of socialist solidarity; on the other hand, to many more involved with the party this represented subservience to US demands. Hugh Dalton's administration of the While this didn't net the Brexit Party any seats, it was enough for the Tories to overtake in many of them. In October 2004 Blair announced that he would seek a third term as prime minister but would not stand for a fourth term. However, in 1951 they could only manage 109 candidates, gaining just over 700,000 votes (2.6% of entire vote). Essay on why Labour failed to renew itself after it fulfilled its 1945 manifesto of cold war era), Violence broke out in India and Paliastine during decolonisation, Sectarian violence - Violence until after the election on the grounds of "morality" which was the The popularity of the 1942 Beveridge Report, which laid much of the groundwork for the establishment of the NHS and the Welfare State, was an endorsement of Labour politics. In realising that the quality of life was far more important to the public than any other factor, the Conservatives promised to build 300,000 houses a year, although they did admit in their manifesto that not much could be done to lessen the strain of rationing in 1951. Unpopular policies like high taxes. As a response to the housing problem, Dalton committed to building one million new homes, 80% of which were council houses to be rented cheaply to those who most needed them. This brought about a little unrest within working class support but it was the effect on middle class attitudes and the cracks opening among the Parliamentary partys support which began to harm electoral credibility. Manne identifies that the use of the word 'Affair' is a clear indication of how . Nevertheless, the war was clearly more important in raising Atlee's reputation among Britons because Attlee was effectively completely in charge of the homefront for the duration of the war. WW2) needed loans to sustain economy, Keynes 1945 secures The outcome was widely credited to the deft materialism of Harold Macmillan, and the slogan `You've never had it so good', which the Conservatives, in fact, did not use. In 1951, Labour was pilling on votes in seats they had already won, while the Conservatives won narrow victories. Labour actually gained fewer votes than in 1959, but the Conservatives lost 1.6 million votes and the Liberals gained over 1.5 million votes. Dunkirk triggered many people to blame the conservatives and their previous leaders for appeasement. This brought about a little unrest within working class support but it was the effect on middle class attitudes and the cracks opening among the Parliamentary partys support which began to harm electoral credibility. response of Tory MP to While ill health may have played its part in weakening the Labour party, the lack of enthusiasm put into manifesto commintments was by far more significant. 1950 are not the Conservatives of 1935, No one shoots Santa Clause - The consequences of entering the Korean War in June 1950 also contributed to Labours downfall. This is especially so when one considers the crises they faced in that year, making the 1945 blue-skies, New Jerusalem thinking incredibly difficult to sustain. Under the first past the post electoral system, many Labour votes were "wasted" as part of large majorities for MPs in safe seats. Similarly, Labour simply made too many promises that were out of their reach, however they did fulfil most of their promises. Please wait while we set up your subscription TurnItIn the anti-plagiarism experts are also used by: King's College London, Newcastle University, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, WJEC, AQA, OCR and Edexcel, Business, Companies and Organisation, Activity, Height and Weight of Pupils and other Mayfield High School investigations, Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes, Moniza Alvi: Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan, Changing Materials - The Earth and its Atmosphere, Fine Art, Design Studies, Art History, Crafts, European Languages, Literature and related subjects, Linguistics, Classics and related subjects, Structures, Objectives & External Influences, Global Interdependence & Economic Transition, Acquiring, Developing & Performance Skill, Sociological Differentiation & Stratification, The question as to why Labour won the 1945 election has been the source of much in depth study since the period. In 1945 Labour had won 11.99m (47.8%) of the vote, and went on to attain 13.95m (48.8%) of the vote in 51. The Labour government called a snap election for Thursday 25 October 1951 in the hope of increasing its parliamentary majority. Britain's involvement in the Korean War had not been a popular decision. Extremely cold weather met with insufficient stockpiles of coal, and much industry ground to a halt as a result. Increase in liberal votes in 1964 meant that conservative vote decreased, therefore labour required less votes to win. How valid is this view in relation to the 1951 general election? The electorate clearly did not see it this way though, believing that the Labour party had lied to them, this feeling of betrayal saw many voters return to the reliable Conservatives in the 1951 election. Morisson, the Deputy Prime Minister, believed that. Overall, it was the first-past-the-post system that won Labour their 'landslide' victory in 1945 and in 1951 allowed the Conservatives to win despite polling less votes. So, while Labour won the popular vote, gaining large majorities in their constituencies, the Conservatives won the majority of seats, gaining narrow victories, but in more constituencies. Answer (1 of 11): There are books and other commentaries, opinions (web searches will reveal them) that explore this in detail, but here is a personal take. Their election campaign was heavily based off the idea that, if voted into power, there would be a period of consolidation after the previous years of innovation. These party reforms and the reorganisation proved worthwhile, as can be seen in the 8% boost in votes. Following Cripps resignation on grounds of ill health, Hugh Gaitskell took over as Chancellor during Attlees second government. As the night drew . how the radical Labour However by 1945 Labour was a strong, organised and well respected party, whilst the Conservatives were weakened by the war and internal splits. Britains economic resources were being drained from all directions; Foreign Policy, Nationalisation, Welfare and Austerity.

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